The astounding Ms Ruby Turner

Off we went, then, to Ronnie Scott’s on Monday night, to see Ruby Turner perform. I’ve liked her for years but I’ve only seen her perform with Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, whom I adore. (In fact I often play my Jools playlist on the gym treadmill.)

Ruby Turner is astounding in the amount of effort she puts into her performance. Soul music is not really my thing but she blew everyone away with the complete dedication of all her mental and physical faculties to her performance.

I felt, though, that she was let down a little by the sound desk technicians: maybe I’m getting old but there was really no need for such over-amplification is such an intimate venue. Goodness, I bet Ruby could have blown our heads off without any artificial amplification at all. I also thought that the use of the echo effect was extraneous. Yes, it can sound quite nice, and it’s often used to cover up lack of technical prowess and dodgy tuning in less able singers. For me, though, the echo gilded the lily: there was just no need. In fact, in my opinion, Ms Turner’s outstanding abilities came over better in the quieter, calmer parts of her songs.

All of the above would, however, have been lost to the annoying couple sitting next to me, who were obviously not there to listen to the music. Well, maybe that was a little harsh on the young man, late twenties, early thirties or so, who was trying to pay attention. Every time he focused his gaze on the stage, though, his undoubtedly attractive female companion would distract him with her chatter or her long legs or a mixture of the two.

When you buy tickets at Ronnie Scott’s they specifically request that patrons keep conversation to a minimum during the acts. They reiterate this with signs all over the club. In fact it’s a grim indictment on the state of modern manners that this reminder is needed at all: if you’re too crass to shut up and listen to some of the greatest musicians in the world, then why bother coming to see them? Live performances of anything are increasingly plagued by boorish idiots who seem to think that the rules of common decency and civility don’t apply to them. Ugh.

This little performance of the progressively-inebriated amorous couple irritated me and all the people around them. People were giving them looks and loud Shhhh! and I at one stage very politely asked them to keep the noise down. They both apologised – loud and long, which made things worse. In my mind I was saying “Look, we’ve come to hear a music performance. If this is a sort of drunken foreplay for you, perhaps go and finish the job elsewhere.” But I am too polite to say that.

At one point the woman staggered off to the loos, I assume, and her beau left shortly afterwards clutching a packet of cigarettes. She left her handbag on the velvet banquette and I later found his keys right next to my handbag, where he’d been fumbling. It’s possibly an over-reaction, but dark thoughts of possible terrorist or other criminal activity fleetingly crossed my mind.

Anyway, they both returned after a while, those lovely-doves, and resumed their consumption of two whole bottles of claret. Or more. And no food. On a Monday night. They were still there when we left. I hope they had huge hangovers the following morning.

I don’t understand the obsession some venues have with over loud amplification. I remember being in one tiny pub. They had a band play with amps that must have been set to 11. And they were just one of those pub bands, not very good, so I was trying to tell my friend that we should find another venue, when someone told me to shush, that they couldn’t hear the music!!!

I have my own suspicions of what took the lovebirds so long to return to their table 😉

I also think that given the age grouping of aforementioned couple, they may have been at the show for, well, show. Hipsterism at its worst. It’s “cool” & “trendy” to be able to say they were at Ronnie Scott’s and to pretend to like jazz. No doubt he was trying to impress her with how hip he is and she had no interest in the performance, just the cachet of being there. Or maybe I’m being cynical? Nah, not me 😉

Actually I disagree. I think the woman was probably vomming in the loo.

And you don’t have to be crusty to like jazz: MsDD was really upset that she could’t come because she had exams (She loves Jools and Ruby too) and I often see plenty of younger people in there. The defining thing is that one would have an appreciation of good music. And that transcends age labels.

And the manners to allow others to enjoy the performance without being spoilt by chattering.

Barefootmower
on 21st January 2016 at 4:59 pm

I absolutely worship Ruby Turner. We saw her with Jools Holland a couple of months ago, alas at the Hexagon in Reading and not at Ronnie Scott’s. You describe her perfectly. She throws everything into her performance and left us staggered and adoring and I’ve never been so genuinely delighted at someone coming back on for an encore. I’ll never forget that night. The previous guest had been KT Tunstall who was good but I felt very sorry for her afterwards because her performance paled into past after Ruby Turner’s. I think you’re right in that she probably doesn’t need anything except her voice and energy. Wonderful.

Truly she is. MsDD had to miss it as she still had mock exams but I have promised her that we’ll go to a Jools gig this year: it’s high time we went again. I like the open-air ones where you can dance.

I don’t know if it’s actually Ruby but I don’t care, they’re so warm and appreciative. Our group all stood and danced in Reading. Not everyone was impressed but I don’t know how people can sit still listening to her. The place was full of middle-aged people jigging so it’s good to hear MsDD likes her too.

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